Faulkner Lifestyle Magazine September 2018

Ellen Smith Elementary Schools. Students received a wrapped
book with their name on it for their birthday. This was done
through the Cara McCollum Birthday Book Project, an
organization very close to my heart,” she says.
While Caring Cats will proceed at the high school, Cheryl
still feels a kinship with the organization, saying, “I hope
Caring Cats will continue to grow and impact our school and
community in a positive way. One of the best things about
the club is that it includes everyone regardless of academic
success, social status, or economics. The only requirement is
the desire to help others, and I hope that never changes.”
As athletic director at Conway, Steve’s responsibilities included
working with coaches, administrators, and members of the
community to help provide the best opportunities for student
athletes. “Also, adding and improving facilities, working with
the Arkansas Activities Association to stay in compliance with
rules, and hosting conference and state events are components
of the job. [The director is also responsible for] ordering
equipment and providing professional development for
coaches. Supervising athletic contests at home and away is a
big responsibility and can include anything from making sure
the lights are working, to evacuating a stadium in bad weather.
It is a team effort!” Steve says.
When asked about the growth of the athletic programs during
his years at Conway, Steve shares, “Some of the changes
include increasing the number of programs to 15 sports, which
increases the number of students participating in athletics.
Athletic facilities have changed from a gymnasium to an arena
and from a grass stadium field to artificial turf. We also added a
new press box and indoor practice facility, just to name a few.
Additionally, we added two new middle school programs,
bringing the total to four.”
When asked to reflect on their careers, Cheryl says, “One of
the things I’m most proud of is helping provide opportunities
for students with disabilities to be included in activities and
form lifelong friendships with students without disabilities.”
She also cites watching the evolution of Caring Cats from its
inception to the present and being part of the first Best Buddies
chapter at Conway, which was named a National Chapter
of the Year. Additional accomplishments included being part
of the first Unified Special Olympics team at Conway and
receiving the Good Neighbor Award from the Chamber of
Commerce.
For his part, Steve expresses a hope that he helped provide a
platform for coaches and athletes to be successful. “In addition
to improving existing facilities, one of my goals, when I first
became athletic director, was to help get an indoor practice
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